"Everyone stay together, the man of the hour might arrive any moment from now!" Principal Margaret announced with an excited look on her face.
"Ugh! I missed the morning assembly, who are we expecting?" Cassie asked Linda.
"Krissneih O'Brien" Linda replied.
"I'm sorry, Kris what?" Cassie asked in confusion.
"Krissneih!" Linda said in a louder voice, standing on her tiptoes trying to see if the man had arrived.
"And why are we expecting him?".
"Oh my goodness Cassie! You shouldn't have missed the morning assembly, everything was announced there".
"I didn't mean to. You could've informed me about what was announced when you got back".
"It skipped my mind and don't try to blame me!".
"I'm not blaming you. I'm just..." Cassie got cut short by the sudden applause from everyone.
"Dear students of S.U.M.S, please make welcome; Krissneih O'Brien!" Principal Margaret said, clapping as a mysterious looking man entered.
Cassie watched closely as a cloaked figure entered, holding an ornate frame, housing a mesmerizing landscape painting. The students whispered among themselves, captivated by the painting's enchanting beauty.
"Great! We're about to dedicate an entire hour just to look at a painting!" Cassie complained.
"That's not just any painting, Cassie. That's the last painting of Piedra de Chaplin!".
"And what's the Kris guy doing with Piedra's last painting?".
"It is said that Piedra willed it to him as Krissneih was his only and favourite student".
"Or maybe he just stole it?".
"That's not possible. First, it's an enchanted painting. Secondly, Krissneih is a man of honor. Thirdly..."
"I'll have to stop you right there Linda. Firstly, I only made a suggestion. Secondly, I don't care if Piedra willed it to him or gave it to him as a birthday present and thirdly... I'll stop at two, I have nothing else to add".
"Hello dear students of this prestigious school, S.U.M.S. It is indeed a pleasure. And Margaret, I have to say, you look much younger and beautiful than the last time I saw you, was that like ten years ago? I must say, you have done a good job with this school. Once again, it's so nice to meet everyone" The man said. His voice was very much different from what Cassie expected. With the way he looked, she expected his voice to be deep but he sounded like a six year old trying to convince his mother that he doesn't need braces.
"It's so nice to meet you too Krissneih. I see you came with the enchanted landscape painting".
"Of course Margaret. I promised you, didn't I?".
"Okay, can someone explain to me the weird relationship between Krissneih and my mother?" Bella asked.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say your mother has a crush on him" Cassie replied.
"You think so? I've never seen her this excited before".
"Does any of that matter? In front of us is Piedra de Chaplin's last work before he died. Don't you even want to get a chance to touch it?" Linda asked the both of them.
"Hey you!" Krissneih called, pointing at Linda.
"Me?" Linda asked pointing at herself.
"Yes, you. Step forward".
Linda took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"What's your name?" He asked her.
"Linda, Melinda" She answered.
"That's a nice name. Now Melinda, what do you know about the painting of the enchanted landscape?".
"The enchanted landscape painting originally known as the Enchanted Garden which is Piedra de Chaplin's last painting. Stories say that the painting is a portal to another world, a landscape but it has never been actually confirmed".
"Brilliant response Melinda. So what do you say? You want to confirm it?".
"Me? Alone? I'd love to but I don't think I want to explore it alone".
"Well pick a partner from the crowd then".
Linda turned back and everyone was already raising their hands including the principal, everyone except... Cassie.
"Please don't pick me" Cassie mouthed and Linda gave a broad smile.
"I pick Cassandra Olsen".
"Oh my goodness! Seriously, Linda!".
"Cassandra Olsen, please step forward" Krissneih said. Cassie sluggishly walked to where Linda stood.
"I thought I told you not to pick me" Cassie whispered to Linda.
"You did? I thought you said please pick me" Linda replied.
"Melinda Stilton and Cassandra Olsen, you two are indeed lucky as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Are you ready to experience live art?".
"Yes!".
"Yes, I mean what other choice do I have?".
"Place your palms on the painting and let your exploration begin!".
Linda held Cassie's hand and the both of them placed their palms on the painting and they immediately got sucked into the painting. The both of them saw themselves in a beautiful landscape with an earthly smell. They were welcomed with the chirping of birds.
"Cassie can you believe it?!".
"I can't. I'm in an F-ing painting. This is way beyond anything I've imagined".
"We're going to be recorded in history books as the first magical creatures to explore the Enchanted Eden!".
"Explore? I'm already sick of this place, I wanna go back".
"Go back? We just got here?!".
"Uh excuse me Krissnay? Or Krissneih? We're done sightseeing, how do we get out?". Cassie waited for a while but got no response.
"Cassie, look at those butterflies over there. Their wings are like crystals!".
"Linda, I think something is off" Cassie said getting worried.
"Off? I don't understand".
"What exactly do you know about the Enchanted Eden?".
"It's Piedra de Chaplin's last painting?".
"Not that. Do you know anything about a way out?".
"Way out? No. No one has ever entered so it'll be impossible to know a way out".
"Linda! Did you just hear yourself?! There's no way out! I can't be stuck in here for eternity!" Cassie panicked.
"Calm down. I'm sure Krissneih knows a way out" Linda assured.
"You think? So why isn't he answering?".
"I'm sure he knows a way out. Let's just wait".
Cassie fell on the grass in despair, thinking about her life for the first time in a long time. She couldn't get stuck here, she mustn't. Linda laid beside her and held her hand.
"Everything is fine Cassie. There's no need to be worried. I'm sure a door will appear any moment from now".
Cassie became calm as they waited, and waited and waited. Cassie became restless.
"I can't do this anymore! If a door won't appear to me, I'll have to find a door" She said getting up.
"Let's search for a door together" Linda said also getting up.
They walked around for an hour but couldn't find any doorway and Cassie was getting more frustrated by the minute.
"Can't you conjure up a door that'll get us out of here?" Cassie asked Linda.
"I would if I could. There's nothing here. No black salt, no candles, not even a single object of magic is here to help me channel my powers".
"So you mean you can't just recite a conjuring spell?".
"Yes I can't. I'm not that powerful. Only high witches of the council can do that". Cassie heaved a sigh and sat down by a tree.
"I understand you're frustrated but we need to exercise more patience" Linda said sitting beside her. Cassie looked on the tree and saw a symbol carved on the bark.
"Linda, take a look at this. I think I've seen this symbol somewhere".
"Yeah me too. I think it was at the frames of living portraits at the museum".
Cassie immediately stood up, "Doesn't that tell you something?".
"No".
"We aren't the first ones to be in here. Someone has been in here too. Look at that three over there, the symbol is carved on it and all the previous trees we've passed, they all have the same symbol".
"No one has ever seen the painting except Piedra and Krissneih. There's not a single picture of it in history books so it's impossible for someone to be able to come in".
"Krissneih? Don't you think he must've been in here a couple of times?".
"I doubt that. Judging by our current situation, there's no way out of this painting".
"Wait a minute, I hope it's not what I'm thinking, no way, I can't believe it" Cassie said putting her hand over her mouth.
"You can't believe what?".
"What if Piedra is in this painting?!".
"That's impossible..." Linda was interrupted by the snapping of a tree. The two of them immediately turned to the direction of the sound.
"Stay behind me Linda, I'll protect you" Cassie said getting ready to turn, her eyes turning red. They could hear footsteps approaching and they waited. An old man appeared, bald with a long white beard.
"Piedra de Chaplin?" Cassie asked.
"That's indeed me and who are you?" The man asked. He talked pretty well for a man that was supposedly dead hundreds of years ago.
"You are supposed to be dead? What are you doing in your own painting?".
"Is there seriously no way out?".
"Questions, lot of questions. You didn't even answer mine".
"I'm Linda and this is my best friend Cassie. Now your turn".
"Come, let's sit and talk".
"Sit? You can sit. I'm tired of sitting" Cassie said.
"No worries", the man said slowly getting down on the grass.
"Can you now tell us what happened?" Linda asked.
"It all started on the seventh of November, 1711. I was working on the Enchanted Eden. By my side was Krissneih who was watching closely. This painting took five months to be completed as I made sure it was carefully detailed. Like all of my works, I wanted the Enchanted Eden to come alive when you look at it. I wanted it to be in a way where you could see the trees on the leaves rustle, birds fly around and also see the rivers flow but Krissneih deceived me. He changed the spell I prepared to a holding spell. After I was done with the incantations, I did see the trees rustle and birds fly but what about the rivers? They just remained dormant. I placed my palm on the painting to see what was wrong and immediately got sucked inside".
"And you've been here this whole time. Krissneih deceived everyone. He said that you willed the painting to him" Cassie said feeling a little bit heartbroken for him.
"I did will it to him. I thought I could trust him".
"Does that mean we're stuck here too?" Linda asked, tearing up.
"Of course not children. I have my paintbrush and my canvas here. I can paint a way out but I'm old and weak so my powers are useless. Only if one of you were a white blood, it would have been easier".
"I'm a white blood!".
"You are?".
"Yes" Linda replied with a smile.
"I thought white bloods were being hunted and killed?".
"Luckily it has been abolished".
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get painting!" Cassie said excitedly. They helped the man up and they followed him to a little cottage. He brought out a canvas, a paint brush and asked the two girls to bring flowers of different colors and crush them to make paint out of it and they happily obeyed.
"Which location should I paint?" He asked.
"The school's garden please" Cassie said.
"Okay, please describe it for me so I can begin". The two girls nodded and started describing the garden.
"Wow, it looks exactly like the school's garden!" Linda said in disbelief, "What can I say? You're indeed Piedra de Chaplin!".
The man smiled and guided Linda on the spells to recite. They were about to place their palms on the painting but they hesitated.
"Aren't you going with us, Mister?" Linda asked.
"The man shook his head, "There's nothing left for me over there. I find peace staying here. Do visit anytime you have a chance".
They both nodded and placed their palms on the painting. They immediately saw themselves in the school's garden.
"Finally! We're back!" Cassie exclaimed excitedly.
"Cassie? Linda? How did you two get here? We were all waiting for you people back at the auditorium. Turns out that Krissneih isn't as innocent as he seemed. He was arrested for using anti-aging spells" Bella who was in the area said to them.
"What about the Enchanted Eden?" Cassie asked her.
"It's locked up behind the stone door" Bella replied.
"That's a relief" Linda said placing her hand on her chest.
"Let's go back. I have to tell my mom that you're back". They nodded and followed Bella.